What is in our Hearts
by ICreateWolf13
Summary: My name is Jaina, im leaving my camp after becoming a master Gevai, but things take twisted turns as im leaving. This is my story.
1. What you dont Beleive

Chapter 1

What you dont beleive

Hi my name is Jaina, it means "Good Character", i am going to tell you the story of a time when elves walked the earth and magic rulled our lives. Im an elf, no i am not the short ones you always thought of, actualy we are all the same, just like you but with long pointed ears. Yes i know what your thinking, where we hold wands and cast magic around like the famed wizards, well thats not it. Magic is within us, it flows in our blood stream and in our hearts. This is my story.

The day began like any other, waking up in my tent beside my parents and brother. They never woke up in the mornings, in fact im the only one up early. I grabbed my bow and quiver and slowly head for the tents enterence. As soon as i stepped out i was struck to the ground. "Timex! Get down!" i said trying to stay quiet. Timex is my dog, well he's a wolf but he doesnt really have the personality of one. Timex is a Hokkaido Wolf, we found him as a pup.

Timex lept off me and walked around excitedly. Every morning, we would go hunting for sport, if we could we would bring the kill home for the tribe. If your wondering what i look like, use your imagination. Ill tell you a couple of things, i have pale white hair that i keep short, it kindof spikes out. Im the only one in the tribe that has white hair, everyone else has pitch black hair or greyish hair.

I walked over to the small wooden fenced ring to get my Talbuk, Therril. He is a large goat like creature, he is also an albino. We used Talbuks as mounts, there were only so many on the face of the earth, we had to be carful of how we treat them so they wouldnt dissapear. Talbuks are very loyal creatures. They almost seem human. Therril trotted his way to me as soon as he heard me open the gate. I soothed out the fur on his snout and wiped off all the snow so i could saddle him up.

It was winter, and winter lasts almost half the year. Its never hot in the forest where i live. I had finished getting him ready and i hopped on, swinging my weapons over my shoulder as Timex followed close behind. Today was the day that i got classified as a Master Gevai. Being a Gevai is required in my tribe, its a traditoin to train in the works of magic. And i was soon to leave my tribe on a journey around the world, meet new people and see new things, have an adventure of my own! Ive been in the village for fifteen years! And now i was leaving to live my own life!

We traversed our way through the forest, searching for something to target. After a while of walking i spotted a Fyn, a type of large deer, their bodies are covered in fur, they have tender meat. Fyn are prefered as food, also because they have thick fur that we use as clothes and tents, even the blankets that we use for talbuks.

I tapped the side of therril's ram like antlers and he stopped walking. We dont use reins, the sygnify ownership and abuse, without them our talbuks earn our trust, and obey what we have them do, they are not just animals, they are us. Deep down inside, they have souls and should be treated as such. He lowered to the ground and lay there, making it easier for me to get off without making a sound.

I crouched low to the earth and took aim at the rib cage, right behind its front legs, and let the arrow fly past my face and into the animals body. The fyn let out a long squeel of pain and started to bound away, slowly falling to the ground due to blood loss. Timex is trained to attack the target when at the ground so it wont escape, and he did just that. Charging from my side to the animal, clamping his jaws on its throat.

When the animal stopped moving, i aproached timex and praised him. I then dragged the fyn's body to Therril and tried my best to lift it onto his back. I succeeded and hopped on as well, the corpse in front of me. Therril turned around, knowing that we were finished and started back towards camp. Tibex followed happily, knowing that he was going to get extra liver tonight.


	2. The Siblings Challange

Chapter 2

The Siblings Challange

As Therril, Tibex and i made our way back to the camp, tibex began to growl angrily, i have never seen him this way. He was always so happy and hyper. Therril started to act strange as well, he was looking around as if frightened. He began to rear up and make loud calling sounds. I didnt like the look of this. I gently but at the same time roughly kicked therrils side to get him to start running as the three of us hurried back home.

We aproached the camp at a fast pace, but as we got closer we slowed our speed. I lept off of therril and calmed him down as i placed my face to his, feeling his fright. Tibex had calmed as well, but was still growling quietly. As they started to act more normal, i walked therril to the small corral. Four of the other Talbuks were waiting for him, a brown one, a black one, a grey spotted one and a light golden one.

After i had put him away along with his back blanket, i dragged the dead fyn to the skinning tent. My fathers best friend, Felder owned the skinning tent. He would do his job. He also owned the tent next to it, which was used to take the creatures meat and bones and other stuff to separate them.

My tribe didnt waste. We used every thing, the bones were used for weapons and jewelry for the tribes woman. The organs would often be cleaned and be turned into musicle instruments and the ones that couldnt be were used for food, the meat, was obviously used for food. The blood was used for paint, if you mixxed it with certain stuff, it would change color.

Felder wasnt in at the moment, so i just dragged the carcass to the far corner, where i always put my kills. After i had done that i walked out of the tent and back to mine. My brother Nirbhik, meaning "fearless" stepped out. Tibex quickly ran to him and knocked him to the ground as he had done to me, licking his face. My brother was two years younger than me.

"Tibex, down!" i told him. He obeyed and i helped my brother up. "You need to teach that thing not to jump on people, he's gonna choke us to death!" He said in a joking tone. I giggled. "Yeah, sure whatever." i replied. Tibex strode over to the spot by the tent, he always went there, its like his private place.

"Hey! Want to go practice?" my brother asked excitedly. I looked to him. "Practice What?" i asked. Nibhik rolled his eyes. "Practice with our spells before you raise in class and leave for good." i laughed. "I wont be leaving for good you ninny, ill just be gone for a long time." i tild him. He looked at me as if i had said something totally stupid. "Yeah, for a REALLY long time." I patted his shoulder and shook my head. "Lets just go."

The two of us rushed to the corral to get our talbuks. We were going to the courtyard that our ancesters had made for training. I got Therril ready as my brother struggled to get his talbuk, Huulrnor ready. I walked over to him and helped him saddle him up, making sure he was watching so he could learn how to do it properly. Nirbhik's talbuk was the light golden one, she had a large amount of streingth but could be kinda stupid at times. But we loved her the way she was.

After i had finished setting her up, my brother and i mounted them. "I'll race you to the courtyard!" Nibhik esclaimed. My brother never backs down from a challange, even when he knows he wont win. He's always trying to be the best in the tribe. He takes after father, but mother says thats a good thing.

I accepted and we both knocked on our talbuks ram-lers to get them to a fast running pace. I grabbed them as did my brother as we both lurched forward, top speed out of the camp and down the hill to the training yard, dodging trees and leaping over logs and small boulders, Talbuks barely made a sound when they run, its almost as if they were ghosts, which is why we prefered them as mounts.

We both raced to our location, jumping the fence that surrounded the training yard. my brother won by a head start. I knew it was a bad idea to give him the headstart. Because once he wins at a challange, he wont stop bragging about it for two weeks. I just let it flow from my mind since i wasnt going to be home for a while. We unmounted our talbuks and they automatically walked over to the side area inside the training yard.


	3. Increasing in the Gevai

Chapter 3

Increasing in the Gevai

Me and my brother hurried to the center of the training court. We both faced eachother and readied for training. Low rumbling sounds were heard comeing from the center of the area. A couple of small dummies shot up from the earth and started moving around as if they were real people.

My brother rolled to the side and in a couple of arm movements a light orange blade apeared in his hand, obviously formed by magic. He rolled out close to the target and began to slice like crazy as if he were to be fighting for his life.

Another dummy quickly charged at him, he ducked and slid himself under it and behind, standing up and swiftly sliceing three times, causeing the dummy to fall to the ground in three seperate peices. Nibhik didnt take training seriously like he should, he wanted to train for sport and just for somthing to do, we learned the ways of the Gevai for defense, we never attacked for just the reason, we protected what we needed to.

Nibhik took out the last remaining dummies, and without moving a muscle, his blade faded away and turned to energy, that smaked its way up his arm and obsorbed into his skin. The magic that we used is held in our blood as well as our minds, its pretty much our energy, we have to have good rest to be able to use our abilities.

Quick hoof steps were heard heading for the training yard. Nibhik stood up from his slight crouch and looked to the gate. We could see our father on the black talbuk heading for us, he probably needed us to do errands, that was part of our training. He aproached us and clicked his talbuk to a halt.

"What are you two doing way out here in the training court?" he asked. My brother stood up straight and looked him in the eye. "We were training our last together before she left."

my fathers name is Raajyashree, meaning "Property of King'. That is how he was known to be the tribes cheif. But mother just calls him Raajjaa, she only uses his full name when he messes up, and usually that means shes not happy. And you know how scary mothers can be when theyre not happy.

"The final ceremony will begin shortly." he announced to us. Me and my brother looked at eachother. Nibhik sighed and wallked to the gate, calling his talbuk. I did the same and we both mounted. The three of us rode back to the camp to get ready.

The ride seemed longer than it really was, i was excited to leave, but at the same time, i didnt want to. No one has ever left the tribe, everyone has stayed there for generations, never seeing the outside world. I was afraid of what i would find, seeing what no elf has ever before seen.

We arrived at camp, everyone was getting ready. I put therril away and aproached my tent to get ready as well. Grabbing my bone clothes, they were black, handmade from fyn fur, bones covered the outer layer, giving it a beautiful unique design. I also put on the skeleten head peice my mother had made me, it was crown like and the bones grew out like demon horns, but i wasnt goign to wear it until i finished my demonstration.


	4. Permantly Gone

Chapter 4

Permenently Gone

I wait inside my tent until i heard my father finish announcing the most impornant things, and when i knew it was time, i stepped out and beside him. My heart thudded in my chest. I was starting to feel dizzy. I was excited. Who wouldnt be? My mother and father were sitting behind us on some logs, awaiting the ceremony to be over. I was nearly crying as i was finally announced a master Gevai, i couldnt feel my body.

I couldnt help it, my excitement overwhelmed me. I lept into the air happily and shot many bright magical colors from my arms and into the sky, upon reaching the top, they exploded into a mix of beautiful fire. Everyone cheered and clapped as i huged my father, bursting in tears of joy. My brother was nearly crying himself, and he never cries!

After the celebrarion i walked to my tent, exausted. I went inside and colapsed on my pile of fur's, pulling a bunch of them over me, ready for a nap. I was to leave tonight, and i needed rest. Everyone else had gone to their tents as well. Tibex cuddled up against me, happily panting as the two of us fell asleep.

- Screaming was heard.. i stumbled to the ground trying to get to my tribes camp.. FIRE! EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE! My tribes members were rushing around trying to help the others just to be engulfed into the flames along with them.. i heard growling and turned around.. dogs, huge dogs! there was a shadow behind them with red glowing eyes. With one move of his arm, they all lunged at me. -

I sat up from my bed, sweat pouring down my face and my body, i looked around. No fire, no dogs, it was dark, my family was asleep, as well as the rest of the tribe. I fell back onto my back, trying to relax, hearing fast heartbeats next to me, i looked to tibex. He was sleeping. I sat back up and crawled around, grabbing all of my stuff. As soon as everything i owned was packed i woke tibex. He followed me out of the tent after i had put a heavy dogs cape on him, thick with fur, to keep him warm.

I sliiped on all of my heavy waether clothing and strode over to the corral. All the Talbuks were asleep. I stepped in, leaving tibex and my stuff outside of the fence. I quietly went over to where Therril always slept and woke him as well. He lifted his head from the ground and stood up yawning. He walked to the gate with me, and i placed his thick blanket on his back for warmth, along with thick legstraps and face cover.

As soon as he was finished i brought him to where the tribe kept the wagons and strapped him to one. I then piled all of my stuff into the wagon and tibex jumped on as well. I patted his head and gave him a little bit of fyn leg, telling him to stay in the wagon. Talbuks are strong creatures, and they can pull, move and crush just about anything. I hopped onto Therril and took one last glimpse at the camp and took a deep breath before tapping his ram-lers to get him started.

He started to walk and we left the camp. We continued on the cleared trail that the huntsmen had made to make it easier to get to the lake. While we were traveling there were a few fyn leaping around, some stayed in place. They were actually very graceful creatures when your not trying to kill them.

I dont know what woke me up. The loud screaming, or the bright light that shown in my face. Therril had stopped completely, tibex was barking loudly and running around the cart. I looked around finding that i was surrounded by fire. I sat up quickly and covered Therril's eyes with a rag so he would calm down. Then i got off and did a couple of fast arm movements and a spin and shot a large gust of wind from my body to everything around me.

I tied Therril to a tree and ran with tibex back to the camp, knowing that someting wasnt right. Tibex didnt wait for me to catch up, he sped ahead, sensing the danger more than i could. Screaming was heard, i stumbled to the ground trying to get to the camps center to find my family. My tribes members were trying to help others, but only died along with them as they tried.

Then it hit me. My nightmare. It wasnt just a frightning dream. It was a vision, a vision to my families fate. I spun around, afraid of what i would see. I gasped and jumped back. A tall man, dressed in black, surrounded by large demon hounds. Without hesitation, he sent them after me. I stumbled to the ground as one lept onto me.


	5. Saving What is Left, and then Losing it

**Uhh.. crap.. i put a little to much humor in this chap. -_- why did i do that? Enjoy, i guess.**

Chapter 5

Saving What is Left, and then losing it

I howled in pain as the beast sank its jagged fangs into my arm. With a flash of red the beast was struck away. I turned to my side to see Nibhik fending off the demons creatures. But as he went to strike one, he was knocked of his feet and was attacked by the group of demons. I could feel my body burn with rage, my eyes melt with hunger for death. My eyes turned red. But i didnt move. I couldnt. Anger overwhelmed me and caused my limbs to freeze.

I watched as the beasts were ripping my brothers arms, but someone didnt, tibex couldnt stand it, he charged forth into the center of the group causeing them to seperate and spread. Tibex growled and snarled as visiously as he could, he was practically choking on his own growling trying to preotect a family member.

They ignored his growls and closed in to finish the job. Without thinking i charged forth, stopping at the side of the group. They all looked at me and snarled. I didnt pay attention. I pushed my hands far out in front of me, and with all of my force, sent all the flames around me and in their direction. They didnt have time to flee. I made dinner.

I colapsed to my knee's, unable to hold myself up, after all, i had used almost all of my energy. The entire camp was free of fire.. and my tribe. I looked up to the ashes of my home. "Gone.. everything is gone.." i buried my face in my hands and began to cry. Everyone was gone. All but me, Nibhik, Therril and tibex.

I pulled out a whistle that i had made, i learned how to make Talbuk calls. I blew in it and put it away. I aproached my brothers limp body. All the blood.. his arms. I heard movement behind me and turned around. Therril and Huurnor, standing there side by side. Therril had brought the wagon with him. Good.

I aproached Huurnor and ran my hand along the soft fur that coated her snout. I lifted my brother and carefully placed him onto Therril, hopping on as well. I made sure to keep him in front of me so he wouldnt fall. I called Tibex to the cart and he hopped in. Huurnor followed close behind, for when an elf picks out a Talbuk, they are bonded for life.

We left our home for good, no returning to see anyone, no returning at all. We were lost now. Living off of what we could with what we got. I looked down to my brother and started to clean off the cuts with a small rag. I would wrap them later when i set up camp.

After hours of walking, i found the perfect safe spot for camp. A deep ditch, we could easily get in and out, there was a large stream of water going through the center and there was grass everywhere, a cave was a little ways from the stream. I got off Therril and lead him and Huurnor down to the stream, unhooking therril from the cart as soon as we reached the cave.

The two talbuks bound away happily, no trees, no large rocks, the grass was tall enough to show through the thick coat of snow. They seemed to be playing. I carried my brother to the cave and inside after i had unpacked everything and made the cave look more like home. I placed him on his fur blanket and went back to the cart to get some fyn skin, we used the skin of fyn deer as bandages, the texture and liquids that form from the skin heals the wound pretty fast.

"AHHH! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY ARMS?!" i heard Nibhik scream from the cave. I rolled my eyes. "Awake and himself i see." I got what i needed and head back into the cave to see my brother struggling to get up. "Nibby, you shouldnt try to use your arms right now." i said while walking to him. He nearly left his skin when he jumped. i giggled.

"Oww! Hey! Be carf-ooOOOWWW!" he screamed. After about five minutes had passed of us talking i decided it would be best to patch up his arms, but that was hard to do with all of his struggling. I got tired of it. I snapped my fingers and shoved my hands at my brother. paralisis. At the moment i thought it was the best spell i had learned.

Nibhik narrowed his eyes at me. "Why did you have to learn all the spells?" he asked. "Maybe its because im smarter." i said with a teasing grin. He just sighed. "Thats just not right." he replied. "There! All done!" i said while snapping my fingers. He sat up and looked at his arms. "Eeww.. this stuff feels like talbuk munure." My eyes widened and i looked at him. "And how would you know how it feels?!"

He looked at me with wide eyes. "Did i say that? No i didnt say that, why are you still looking at me?" i looked at him with an expression that said "hint". he sighed. "Fine.. you got me.. i was the one who put poo in your bed the other night." "AHAA! I knew it was you! You little turd!" i screamed.

"Hey, where are we?" he finally asked. I stopped. "W-what?" i asked. "Where are we? This doesnt look familiar." he said looking around. "We're in a cave." i told him. "Well, can we go home?" My heart sank at thiose words. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A few moments of silently sitting there, i finally told him. "We cant go back home."


	6. Returning to the Ashes

Chapter 6

Returning to the Ashes

Nibhik was stunned. "W-we cant? Why not?" i looked away, not wanting to answer his question. Without hesitation he stood up, not caring of the pain in his arms. He ran out of the cave and to Huulrnor, hopping on and kicking her sides, causeing her to jerk forward and out of the ditch. "No! Nib! Come back!" i screamed while quickly standing up and rushing to Therril. I lept on and followed my brother. He didnt know where he was going. Tibex followed me, for he was taught to stay with his Gevai.

I couldnt see where he went, i schreeched therril to a stop and closed my eyes. I sat there for who knows how long with my eyes shut. When they opened, a small golden wisp flew from my eyes and in front of me, it divided into many and made a trail as to where Nibhik had gone. I got therril to a run again and followed the wisps, they disapppeared as i ran through them. Wisps are souls that died lost, they are magical being that help those find their way.

Tibex ran ahead, finding the wisps interesting and trying to catch them. I rode therril all the way back to the camp. Maybe he did know the way back. Huulrnor was grazing on a small patch of grass. I looked around, finding the dead bodies of our tribes people and the hell hounds i had murderized. fRIENDS. Friends. Very close friends had been lost to the flames.

I walked through the leftover ashes of the camp , aware that anything could go wrong. Then i caught sight of Nibhik. On his knes by our parents limp bodies. Everything got caught in my throat. My breath. My voice. My emotions. I had thought they had gotten away. But i was wrong. I aproached them slowly, they were not burned however. There were fang marks in their throats and all over their arms.

I placed a hand on my brothers shoulder to try and soothe him, only to be attacked in a tight hug. Nibhik was sobbing lightly, i held him in a close hug and looked at the bodies surrounding us. Tears streamed down our faces as we hugged.

We had burried the bodies, all that we could find. We searched the camp for anything useful. I had my brother stay at the camp with the stuff we had gathered while i mounted therril to head back to the cave to pack all of our stuff onto the wagon and return with it.

The snow fell, along with the ashes of our home as i rode therril to our previous camp. My throat was dry and my eyes were burning. I couldnt feel my face. We arrived at the cave and i got everything loaded and hopped on therril again, pulling the wagon behind us. I aproached the remains of my home and helped my brother get everything onto the cart. He got on Huulrnor while tibex hopped in the back of the cart, and we began the journey of our new lives.

None of us made a sound. The only thing we could hear were the sounds of the talbuks breaths and tibex was whimpering a little in his sleep. I looked back to my brother. He was staring at the ground. I looked ahead and around for a place to rest, there was supposed to be a snow storm before morning. I couldnt spot anything. We might have to travel through the storm unless we found shelter. I quickened therrils pace and turned slightly.

I had seen a small hut while looking for my brother after he had run from me. So i was heading towards it. The storm had started not long after i had turned our direction, i hopped off therril and put on his face cover to keep the snow out of his eyes, my brother did the same, we walked the rest of the way.

When we reached the hut i knocked. nothing. I knocked again. Still no answer. I opened the door and looked around, no one was there, it didnt even look like anyone lived there. I let nibhik inside while i brought the talbuks around back where there was a larger door for htem to go in. I brought them inside.

I went to the main room of the small place. Everything was gone. "Nibby, where are you?" No answer. I hadnt even been gone for a minute and he was already lost. No wait, not lost, he had found a bed. I smiled and found another bed to sleep in. We had a long terrible day and needed rest. We decided to stay in the hut until tomorrow morning.


End file.
